Tel: (03) 5883 1344 x: (03) 5883 2396 Email: [email protected]www.finley-h.schools.nsw.edu.au Page 1 7 th September 2018 Principal’s Report Students have undertaken a diverse range of learning opportunities over the last two weeks as extra-curricular activities. Some are outlined below: SALT A group of twenty girls took up the challenge of being Tradies for a day. Under the guidance of the SALT team, Helene and Ethan Mortlock, the girls learnt the basics of using construction tools and put this to use to create a hold-all. I think the photos say it all. Above: Lucy-Jayne Burdon with Helene Mortlock. Left: Mrs Jackson with Dela Gargaro and Gabbrielle Taylor-Tran Above: All participants of SALT. Finley High School Newsletter Acting Principal: Mrs P Jackson Relieving Deputy Principal: Mr N Campbell KEY DATES September 5 - 7 NSW CHS Athletics 11 AECG Meeting, 7pm in the staff common room 11 - 13 NSW CHS Boys Tennis 12 Breakfast Club Homework centre at Finley High School Library, 3.30pm to 4.30pm Homework centre on the road, 4pm to 5pm at Berrigan Town Library and Barooga Public School P&C Meeting 7pm in the staff common room Public Speaking Evening, 7pm in the school library 13 RUOK Day Formal Assembly, 12:30pm in the hall 17 - 21 Year Eleven yearly Preliminary Exams 19 Breakfast Club 22 - 26 Melbourne Show Steer Section 26 September – 3 rd October Melbourne Show Stud Section 26 Breakfast Club Year 12 Breakfast Club 27 Year Twelve Graduation Assembly 12:30pm Year Twelve Graduation Dinner, 6:30pm
Young Change Agents, junior debating, Ag show teams and the Boys Camp have also provided a broad range of students
the opportunity to come up with innovative social business initiatives, extend their public speaking, acquire showing
skills or develop better social and teamwork skills.
Yesterday, our School Captains attended the inaugural speech by the new Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, in Albury.
Emma Marsden and Simi Naicori accepted the invitation with enthusiasm as it is not often the general public get the
opportunity to meet a sitting Prime Minister.
Academic endeavour remains the core business at school for all year levels. Last week Year Twelve students completed
the Trial HSC exams, the results of which will direct students to areas of study they need to focus on. The last few weeks
are an exciting and emotional time as these young people realise their secondary education is coming to an end and
their peers will be taking off in all different directions in the future.
Year Eleven students should be studying at least two hours a night four to five times every week in preparation for the
yearly Preliminary course exams, which will begin on the 17th September. All students are encouraged to attend the
homework centre on Wednesdays if they need extra assistance. This first set of exams can be challenging for students
so good preparation and an organised study routine are essential.
The Tell Them From Me student survey (Term 3, 2018)
I am delighted that this term, our school, like many other public schools in the state, will participate in a Department of Education initiative: the Tell Them From Me student feedback survey. The survey measures factors that are known to affect academic achievement and other student outcomes. The focus of the NSW-wide survey is on student wellbeing, engagement and effective teaching practices.
You may remember that our students also participated in a Tell Them From Me student survey in Term 1 this year. Asking students to complete the survey twice in one year allows us to identify trends in student responses as well as track engagement and motivation across the school year.
The survey is a great opportunity for our students to provide us with valuable and quick feedback on what they think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact with them. More than 6,300 schools in Australia and around the world have used Tell Them From Me to survey 5.4 million students. Capturing the voices of our students will help improve how we do things at our school.
I want to assure you that the survey is confidential. The survey is conducted online and will typically take less than 30 minutes to complete. It will be administered during school hours on 20 September 2018. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary.
A consent form and FAQs for parents/carers about the survey is being sent home with students. If you do not want your child or children to participate, please return the form to school by 18 September 2018.
Copies of the form and FAQs are available from: http://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au/information-for-parents.
The consent form and FAQs are available in 23 languages.
The Tell Them From Me parent survey
This Term, our school will also be participating in the Partners in Learning parent survey. The survey asks parents and carers questions about different factors that are known to impact on student wellbeing and engagement.
Running this survey will help our school understand parent’ and carers’ perspectives on their child’s experience at school. These include communication between parents/carers and staff, activities and practices at home and parent/carer views on the school’s support of learning and behaviour. This valuable feedback will help our school make practical improvements.
The survey is conducted entirely online on smartphones, ipads, tablets, laptops or computers. The survey will typically take 15 minutes or less to complete and is completely confidential. The parent survey will be open until 26 October. Although participating in the survey is entirely voluntary, your responses are very much appreciated.
More information about the survey is available at: http://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au To access the survey for our school go to: https://nsw.tellthemfromme.com/fhs
Acting Principal
Mrs P Jackson
Careers Report
SALT Project
On Friday 31st of August a team of qualified builders visited Finley High School to embark on a project to empower girls with the skills and knowledge to use an array of tools to complete a building project. The girls were walked through some safety inductions before being shown how to use a range of tools from measuring tapes and set squares, to a variety of saws, drills, impact drivers, screws, nails, hammers, nail punches and so on. During the learning process each tool was explained and its safe use shown and supervised.
During the 4 ½ hour workshop the girls each completed a building task that saw them construct a take home tool box. The aim of the project was to teach young women how to use tools and to develop within them the self confidence to be able to work in a range of trade areas. The girls involved thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Above: Sarah Orro Above: Savannah Wilson learning to use the saw
On the 23rd of August the Defence Force Recruitment team from Albury visited Finley High School to discuss career opportunities available in the Defence Forces. Students listened to personal stories from the recruiters about their own experiences in the Services including details about their own recruitment, training experiences, defence lifestyles and deployment. Students learned about what options are available for entry and in which areas the defence offer employment. Students also had an opportunity to ask questions of the presenters.
Year Eleven Mock Interviews
Year Eleven students are starting to prepare for their upcoming Mock Interviews which will happen next term on the 7th November. Students will soon be asked to select a “job” for which they will prepare a resume and practice their interview techniques. On that day, students will then be required to dress appropriately and attend a Mock Interview with some of our local businesses and employers. Stay tuned for more details
Year Twelve Transition
Year Twelve students are currently applying for tertiary study and for employment positions for 2019. We encourage any parents needing advice or assistance on how to help their child with these processes to contact the Careers staff for some advice. We also advise them to be mindful of any closing dates and help their child remember these by posting them on family calendars etc.
Finley Show
Dairy Team
Finley High School Dairy Team had a great day at the Finley Show on Sunday 2nd September 2018. What started out to be a very cool morning turned into a lovely sunny day.
The kids did themselves proud in all of their events, with each coming away with ribbons. Fortunately, all the heifers behaved themselves and were fitted out beautifully.
We are so proud of our team. They are a credit to themselves, their families and our school.
A special thank you to Meg Campbell for coming in to school and helping clip the heifers.
We would also like to thank the judges and stewards in each ring as it is a big job organising the program and the running of the classes. These shows would not be possible without all of their efforts. For this, we thank you.
Right: Christopher Wright parading a Jersey heifer.
Jenny and Brian O'Hora Co-ordinators Finley High School Dairy Team
Last week this team competed against students from Hay. Hay was ultimately the winner but our team is improving their skills, which is great to see. The adjudication was done via video conference (VC) from Sydney and valuable information was given to both teams. Hay has won their three debates and we have our final one this Friday.
Well done to these students who proudly represented the school last week and good luck today.
Mrs McNaught Debating Co-ordinator
Above: Junior Debating Team – Edward Haynes, Harmonie Tidcombe, Archibald Mason and Jacob Orro.
The blocks await, frozen in front of me, unmoving. I stare mine down. They always have an unnerving presence. I have done this a hundred times before. Nerves are my favourite company when I am standing here alone, always. I stretch and keep my muscles moving. It is a brisk day. Not a cloud in the sky but the slight breeze invites goose bumps to trail down my bare back.
Time keepers rise in front of me. Girls around me have cold stares fixed on their faces; they are in the ‘zone’. No ‘good lucks’ are presented by competitors to each other. This isn’t about showing sportsmanship; this is about winning. A race shall never show mercy.
Supporters scream encouragement, as if they believe it will make a difference to the outcome. That somehow their screaming was the reason their competitor won. From my honest experience, it is wasted - we can’t hear you anyway.
The referee blows his whistle and a quietness creeps over the energetic crowd. I place my foot onto the blocks and push my body upwards. I kick the retractable wedge and lower myself into position. Legs - shoulder width apart, back - flat, breathing - steady, eyes - transfixed on the black line. I don’t have to think; muscle memory controls this part. My mind is blank.
‘Take your marks.’ The monotone voice of the starter captures the attention of everyone in the complex. A silence that can only be broken by one sound settles the crowd into an energetic haze. ‘BEEP!’ The silence is broken as the crowd erupts into a frenzy of yells.
I inhale and gasp for a breath of air before diving into the refreshing, cool water. No matter how many times I do this, the entry will always take the breath out of me. I shall never be fully prepared for the shock of piercing the cold surface.
I align myself into a streamline position and begin to dolphin kick. I breakout of the underwater work and engage my stroke. I propel myself through the water. My body aches and yearns for me to stop. Despite the pain, I continue.
I can see the end; the wall awaits. Yellow touch pads act as a beacon to guide my finish. Two breaths down. In this race three breaths are my absolute maximum. This is foolish advice and I resent my coach. I pull harder and kick faster, my lungs burn. I take my last breath and power into the wall – that breath count is going on my feedback, indefinitely. Feedback is the sugar coated name for everything I will be criticized about.
I extend my arm and connect with the wall. I lift my head out of the water and refill my lungs with air. I squint across at the results board and begin the search for my name and time.
As I exit the pool, disappointment gives me a helping hand out of the water and generously accompanies me to the warm down pool, then to the grandstand. He never abandons me as we make our way to the coaches, and he stands by me as the coaches give me their verdict. What a gentleman.
A group of students from years 7-10 participated in a 3 day workshop with the Young Change Agents. Students worked in groups of 4 or 5 to come up with ideas to create change in our community. The students identified a range of issues in the local area and then learnt the skills to develop a social enterprise to make a positive impact in the community.
The students developed their business idea and created a business pitch that they presented to a panel of judges consisting of Berrigan Shire Mayor Matthew Hannan, Deputy Principal Nick Campbell and Martin Dickins from Department of Education rural and distance education.
The judges choice was awarded to Sascha Jones, Ally Barlow, Tayla Simpson and Jemma Coombs, this group also came equal first in student choice the another group consisting of Niamh Mason, Elle Rochford, Vamos Patu and Kiara Warenycia. Both of these groups will now pitch their business idea at the regional final in Deniliquin.
September 7 J Crowhurst 10 D Jewell 11 F Aull 12 B Agosta 13 K Steel 14 K Arnold 17 S Cracknell 18 C Alexander 19 K Nicholls 20 T Anderson 21 T Clarke 24 M Kleinschmidt
